Life As She Knew It
by Wide-Eyed-Dolly
Summary: Their fates intertwined, her life is now in his hands. When a strange message appears on her doorstep, the duo must travel to Japan to shed some light on her unexpected destiny.


Hello again, friends! After quite a bit of rewriting and planning, I've decided to come back with another fanfic. Woo! Originally I wrote this while I was in middle school, but never quite had the courage to put it up. As you can imagine, I went back and changed A LOT of things from the first copy to make it, well, better. Please continue to be kind and supportive as I write, it is much appreciated!

I do not own Shaman King, though sometimes I wish I did. Such a great show.

Please keep an open mind and enjoy the story!

* * *

The pink-haired girl gasped.

"She's coming!" she shouted, standing rather abruptly. "She's coming!"

Ponchi and Conchi stared, nervous and accepting of the fate. "Are you sure, Tamao?"

The pink-haired girl turned, eyes burning with intensity. "Yes, I'm positive! There's no time to waste; we must warn everyone right away!"

* * *

Echoes of footsteps hung in the air. The brisk chill nipped at her ears. Her breath came out in soft puffs before vanishing into the night air. Block after block she ran on, music playing softly in her ears, tuning out everything but the lyrics and the beats. A stray car drove by, stopping at the light just up ahead. As she neared, the windows rolled down to reveal a group of drunk high school boys. They smirked and hollered at her from the windows, laughing when her gaze stopped on them.

"Hey, cutie!" the boy in the passenger seat called, eyes half-lidded. "What's say you, me, and my friends here all hang out? You know, have a little fun?" The others all howled with laughter as she neared. Apprehensively she turned the corner and jogged off, hoping they would leave her be; she learned, as she heard the car roar ever closer, that no such thing would happen. They were too drunk.

"Come on, girly, come hang with us!"

The girl ignored them and picked up the pace. Unfortunately, so did they.

"Hey, don't you ignore us!" The guy in the passenger seat was getting annoyed, she could tell. Silently she reached into her pocket and turned down her iPod. "Did you hear me?!" She kept jogging on, searching for a means of escape. Finally the drunken boy lost his patience and launched an empty beer bottle her way, making her jump with a slight scream when it smashed into pieces near her foot. "Do I have your attention now, you prissy bitch?!"

"Dude, if you want her attention why not just grab her?"

Hearing this, the girl wasted no time. She outright bolted, running as fast as she could away from the car. Trees and houses passed her by in a blur as she pushed her legs to run ever faster. Not far behind she heard the car rev and the tires squeal, followed by the boys' excited shouts and derogatory screams aimed at her. The bright lights lapped at her heels as she flew over the pavement. She cut right suddenly and hopped a wooden fence into some stranger's backyard. She was safe now. She listened silently as the car's engine revved twice loudly before driving off, leaving an obnoxious squeal in its wake. A sigh hung in the air while she took control of her nerves.

'That was way too close,' she thought, shaking. 'Maybe I should take the main roads? No, they would already guess to look for me there...' She shook her head with a frown and peered over the fence tp make sure the boys were really gone. It was all clear. Relief washed over her as she climbed back over onto the side street. 'I should head home...' Taking one last look around, the girl reached back into her pocket and turned the music back up slightly before cautiously making her way down the street. She passed street after street, walked through countless 'walk' signals at crosswalks, turned and twisted through the city until she finally reached close-to-home familiar territory. Strange music seeped into her ears, catching her off-guard and making her pause the current song.

'What...?' Bright lights shined through the darkening sky, pinks and blues and yellows flickering wildly about. It almost seemed as if they were calling to her. 'How long was this here?' she silently asked, confused. 'I don't remember seeing this before. But I shouldn't stop, I should...should...' Her feet acted of their own accord, slowly edging closer to the curious carnival. Laughter and excited shouts rang through the air, landing sharply on the girl's ears. Wonderful smells filled her nostrils - caramel apples, fried doughnuts, fresh-buttered popcorn - and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't stop herself. She wandered onto the fairgrounds, captivated by the new and strange atmosphere, and immediately felt goosebumps break out across her neck. Something wasn't right; she could feel it. It wasn't just the fact that it was unfamiliar or how it was seemingly set up during the course of a few hours; something about this place felt almost evil.

"Step right up, step right up!"

'Who the...?' The girl turned to see a strangely-dressed man handing out flyers. His smile split from ear to ear, effectively frightening her. She chuckled nervously, admiring the detail to make the make-up look realistic. 'Almost looks real, that's too well-done.' The man stopped and glanced at her, smiling somehow wider. Her leg twitched, ready to run. "You there, young lady! You look like you enjoy having fun!"

"Uh, yeah, I actually - "

"Oh, please don't be shy!" His voice boomed and echoed over the music. "Our carnival is the best around, and our circus is in town for one night only!"

She arched a brow, curiosity dangerously piqued. "Circus?"

"Why yes, my dear; Circus of Fear! Won't you stop by and join us?" Smile glinting under the lights, she noticed with a fright that each of his teeth were jagged; they looked like the teeth of the monsters in her old story books. More goosebumps spread like wildfire across her shoulders, making her twitch uncomfortably. This could only end badly. Not wanting to anger him, she scrambled for an excuse to get away.

"Ah, I-I'd love to, but I'm afraid I have to go home. I have school tomor - "

His blue eyes flickered a darker shade before he turned away, sighing slightly. "That's the problem with kids today; they don't take any time for fun anymore. This place is meant to take away the stress and worry." He turned on his heel back to her, his smile not entirely gone but much more upset-looking. It actually scared her worse than his previously-jollier demeanor. "All we want to do is provide some frightening fun to the youth of today. Are you sure you won't come and join us?"

She averted her gaze, staring off toward her neighborhood. "Oh...okay. But I can't stay for long."

"WONDERFUL!" he bellowed, making her flinch. The nervous girl suddenly jumped when she felt a pair of hands run down her arms. She whipped around with a fist raised and found her punch blocked by another carnival worker. A brother and sister, twins she assumed, stood behind her, smiling eerily as one held her clenched fist. They stood together in a puffy clown suit, made to look wold, worn, and generally unsettling. She noticed the make-up and the stitching on the clothing, making it seem like they were conjoined by a madman's science experiment. She had to admit it, it was all very convincing. And creepy. "Right this way, young lady!" the smiling man exclaimed, stepping aside and bowing, "Right this way, to the Circus of Fear! Sophie and Benjamin will take perfect care of you this evening. Just let the worries of life fade away!"

She furrowed her brows, suddenly anxious and looking for a way out. Everything suddenly gave her a bad feeling. The bright, happy lights seemed to be melting into more sinister colors; pinks had a bloody undertone, blues hinted at the hue of asphyxiation. Yellows and greens almost looked like they were decaying on the spot. Her mind raced and her breathing became short, panicked gasps. "I-I change my mind!" she near-shouted between breaths, "I have to leave!"

"And miss all of the fun?" the twins echoed in empty harmony. Their voices sounded lifeless and cold, menacing even. "Stay a while, enjoy the show..." The circus tent came into view, and she struggled to pull away from their grip. For only one hand holding onto her, it was a very strong grip. Paranoia ravaged her mind, making stray tears build up behind her wide chocolate eyes. Closer and closer they got to the tent, all the while even more unsettling music grating on her eardrums. Her skin crawled with each note, heels dug harder into the earth the closer they got, breath catching painfully in her throat. The twins pulled her through the entrance. Her eyes shut tight, waiting for something to happen. The sound of cheers greeted her ears, so nervously she cracked one of her eyes open to squint. It looked surprisingly normal within the tent - aside from the other performers dressed in a similar, unnerving manner. The crowd, as she saw, consisted of many normal people. Upon further inspection, she saw it was mostly adults. Feeling much more comfortable, she made her way to the stands and sat in the audience. Whatever kind of show they were planning to perform, it would certainly be different.

The smiling man sauntered to the middle of the ring, raising his arms high in the air. "Ladies and gentlemen," he shouted excitedly into the microphone, "thank you all for coming this evening! We are proud to present, Circus of Fear! Sit back, relax, and don't lose your head!" The audience laughed and clapped in anticipation, cheering wildly. "ENJOY THE SHOW!"

"Was I really just worried for nothing?" the girl whispered to herself, chuckling softly. Her soft laughter stopped and her smile disappeared. "No, I better stay on guard. Just in case. This place still feels off to me..." She sat back and watched with the rest of the audience as the acts were performed: an amazing acrobat swung and spun from hoops in the air, nearly missing and evoking a loud gasp from the audience. A young girl walked across the tightrope slowly, her feet physically shaking and hesitantly stepping along the thin rope. The men and women watched, breath held, waiting. Her footing slipped and she swung her arms wildly to regain balance, though it was not enough. She fell to the side and plummeted down. A collective scream rang throughout the tent as she hit the ground, but was quickly replaced by 'ooh's and 'aah's when red butterflies fluttered up and away from what should have been a twisted, broken body. Instead there was only a tiny cloud of dark smoke; she had vanished. The audience went wild with cheer, standing and clapping excitedly.

'Wow! That was amazing! But where did she go? Uh-oh...oh no, I have to pee.' The girl looked around uncomfortably for a restroom, but found none. 'I don't really want to leave...oh, I'll be right back. I can't hold it anymore.' Quietly she got up and pushed through the crowd, earning surprised and angry looks from everyone she passed. 'I'll only be gone a few minutes, I won't miss much.' Quickly she hurried to the entrance and asked the twins where a bathroom was. They said nothing but pointed in its general direction, a strange and unsettling look on their faces. She thanked them and rushed off, eager to get back to the show. As they watched her leave, they looked to each other and narrowed their eyes.

"She left?"

"Yes, sir," they replied in a dark tone. "Does she know?"

"Not yet. But we can't take the chance. Don't let her back in." The smiling man turned on his heel and reentered the tent, leaving his orders with the twins. The girl came rushing back, face flushed and slightly out of breath. As she smiled and stepped past the twins, they extended an arm and closed the entrance, glaring at her. "No entry beyond this point," they echoed.

"What, why? I was only gone a few minutes!"

"Once you leave this circus, you can never return," the brother murmured, tilting his head slightly.

"You either stay," said the sister sinisterly, "or you go. There is no returning to what cannot be returned to." A strange chime sounded over the cheers inside, and the twins took their leave to tend to their act. "Leave this place. Now." The tent closed back up, leaving a frightened and angry girl standing alone outside the entrance. She scowled and reached out to let herself back in, only to pull back with a yelp. There were thorns covering the edges of the entrance, barring her from entering.

"The hell...? What kind of circus is this?" she asked, suddenly panicked and outraged. "I have to know what's going on. All of those people inside...they could be in danger!" Laughter and screams of excitement reverberated inside the tent, undoubtedly the reaction to the brother-sister duo and their act. She didn't need to know what was happening to know that something terrible was brewing behind the smoke and mirrors. She searched around the tent for a crack or hole to peek in through, but to no avail. Just as she was about to try and open it from the front, a rather soft woman's voice caught her attention.

"Don't," she warned.

The chocolate-eyed girl threw her head back to gaze up at the woman behind her. Unnaturally tall, she stood on eight-foot stilts and gazed down at the startled young girl. Her long golden hair concealed half of her face, yet her oceanic blue eyes shimmered under the moonlight. The woman frowned and murmured softly, "Please, child, run far away from here. Your curiosity will get you killed, or worse..."

"W-Worse? What's worse than dying?"

A tear slid down the tall woman's cheek, falling and landing softly on the girl's eyebrow. "Becoming one of us," she replied, her voice breaking. "We may look strange and exciting, but it's not just for show. He's turned us into monsters, and he'll do the same to you if you discover the truth."

"What do you mean?"

The woman pushed her hair aside and stared down, making the girl cringe and her stomach to lurch unpleasantly. The half of her face she had hidden appeared to be melted, strategically leaving behind a macabre flowery design on her skin. One eye was significantly paler than the other; she supposed it may have been from whatever caused her face to melt. She cried silently, urging the girl to leave. "Please go now, I can't help you anymore. The consequences will be dire. Run before it's too late."

The girl hesitated and shook her head. "Not before I rescue everyone else! They don't know! I don't even know - "

"Take this, then." The woman reached into the pocket on her long dress and dropped a small letter opener into the girl's hands. "I must go. I urge you to do the same, but if you really must know what lies behind the curtains...just don't get caught." With that she took her leave, soft cries drowned out by the eerie music inside the tent. She watched the woman leave, and looked down at the instrument in her hand. She unsheathed it and gasped at how sharp the tip appeared to be. With it, she scurried around to the side and sliced a minute tear in the tent, just big enough for her to look through. Inside she could see the audience clapping and demanding more as the twins bowed and made way for the next act. A cage draped with a long maroon curtain was wheeled out into the middle of the ring, making the crowd go wild with cheer. She was surprised, but nervous.

'That can't be a good sign...' The cloth was swiftly pulled away to reveal something hunched over, chained to the floor of the cage. She squinted hard and realized in horror that it was a boy. A boy, not much older than herself she presumed, dressed in shredded old pants and some kind of shirt, discolored from age. People shouted and applauded, yelling out taunts and hurtful words. The ringmaster turned to the cage and extended an arm dramatically, offering lucky patrons the chance to step up and experience the horror first-hand. Women and men, and a few children, rushed to the front and stared in excitedly. Their words taunted and teased him, and one man went as far as to reach in and tug on the chain, pulling the boy down without a fight. He laid there quietly, eyes looking far away, seemingly ignoring the fact that people were getting louder, meaner, demanding a show.

'What's he doing?' She held her breath, staring in at the confusing sight. 'Is he alright? Why won't he do anything?' The smiling ringmaster snapped his fingers and the whole tent went black. A spotlight flashed down on the cage, and everyone inched to the edge of their seats. Even the people taunting him up close froze, waiting. The boy in the cage grunted and struggled to sit back up. The girl stared in, bewildered. The spotlight revealed his shirt - the reason he was fighting to get up - was in fact a ratty old straight-jacket, dirty and worn yet still holding strong to restrain. The chains rattled slightly with each movement as he finally righted himself up on the cage floor. He lifted his head to look out at the audience, and everyone cheered wildly. The man who pulled him down approached the cage again, smirking, and stuck his hand inside slowly only to quickly pull it back out when the boy began to thrash about, growling.

The smiling man laughed boisterously and clapped. "It's quite alright, everyone! As you can see, he is not only restrained in a top-quality straight-jacket, but he's also chained down to the floor! He won't be getting out anytime soon, so everyone - " The spotlight cut out and a woman's scream rang out from the audience. Everyone clapped, but the girl could tell it was nervous clapping. "Can we get the lights back up, please?" the ringmaster asked. The lights dimly illuminated the tent, straining the eyes inside, and everyone immediately turned back toward the cage: it was empty, the chains and shackles completely broken away from the floor. The air was suddenly thick, heavy with anticipation and fear. The girl staring through the hole broke out in a cold sweat, terror eating away at her insides.

'Where did he - '

Childrens' screams pointed all eyes to the top of the tent, where the boy hung upside down from one of the acrobat's rings, still confined in his tightly-locked jacket. He bared his teeth at the crowd and pulled his legs out, dropping down toward the ground at a dangerous pace. The people directly below scrambled out of his way, jumping in surprise when he landed safely on his feet. The man who taunted him threw a punch but the boy dodged it with incredible speed, darting around him and landing a forceful blow to the back of the man's skull. A sickening crack landed on the girl's ears, making her stomach lurch and threaten to expel her lunch. Against her better judgement, she watched on, eyes widening in disbelief as she watched the sight before her. He dropped to his knees and knelt down by the man's face. She couldn't see what was happening because of the hair blocking his face, but judging by the terrified screaming from the woman next to him, she knew it couldn't have been part of the show. His face resurfaced after an eternity, covered in sticky, dripping red. Blood dripped from his lips and chin as he grinned wide, horrible. The straight-jacket that bound him began to move, stretching and stressing the seams and buckles, looking ready to break away and free the beast.

'Why is nobody running? WHY IS NOBODY CALLING FOR HELP!?'

Time slowed to a crawl as the scene played out before her. An animalistic growl roared from his throat. He pushed against his restraints with a force. They budged, she saw the buckles snap, and it tore to pieces around him. Black shadows ripped through his back, lifting him off the ground. The audience roared with applause and cheer. Suddenly it all pieced together in her mind.

"O-Oh my god...!" She fell to her hands and knees, retching loudly, not caring who heard anymore. Chunks of food mixed with dull greens and tans, pooling beside her hand. Her eyes watered from the pain, and shakily she reached up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "I-I have to get out of here! This place, these p-people...I have to leave!"

"I don't think so."

Her blood turned to ice in her veins. Sweat poured from every pore. Her hair stood stick-straight on end. Her eyes darted to the letter opener the tall woman gave her, and slowly her fingers reached for it.

"I wouldn't, little girl."

'Is this really how I'm going to die?' she thought, tears spilling down her face.

"Stand up and face me."

Slowly, shakily, the girl rose to her feet, fighting the overwhelming desire to fall to the ground. Her heart beat a million miles a minute, her mind raced with all possible ways to get away, her life flashing before her eyes like an incredibly short movie. She turned around, terrified, and met his milky hazel eyes with her tearful chocolate ones. "Tell me," he asked, wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, "did you enjoy the show?"

Her voice stuck painfully in her throat. All she could manage was a weak whimper, more hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

He pushed his black hair out of his face. "That's too bad. It's not everyday a cute girl like you comes by." He smirked at her terrified expression, licking the remaining blood off of his lips. The black shadows flared, ready to strike.

"P-PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

"Hey, there she is!"

The two turned, surprised. The group of boys from earlier, the ones that had chased her, came stomping up the fairgrounds, drunken glares aimed at her. "There you are, girly! You know, it's not very nice to ignore us and run away like that!" The leader of the group came stumbling up angrily, alcohol strong on his breath. He pushed past the blood-spattered boy, oblivious to the greater danger, and got uncomfortably close to her face. "Now that we got ya cornered, you're coming with us, got it?" He was suddenly pulled back, falling on his backside. He glanced up to find the black-haired boy glaring at him threateningly.

"You have no business here," he said in a warning tone. "Leave. Now."

The drunk boy smirked cockily. "We'll leave, right after my boys kick your pale ass!"

The other three boys ran at him, knives pulled out and glinting in the moonlight. The hazel-eyed boy snarled and swung his fist at them, making them shout in surprise before laughing and aiming their weapons for his arm. The blades dug into his flesh yet he didn't make a sound, even as the crimson blood flowed down to his fingertips. The girl watched on in terror, seeing them tear his skin apart, watching the blood gush from his wounds. The group stumbled back, grinning at their work and breathless; their eyes widened in terror, however, when they realized that his skin was healing itself at a rapid pace. In a matter of seconds, every single slice had been erased from his body. Not even a scar remained. The boys' mouths hung open in bewilderment.

The hazel-eyed boy tilted his head to the side, cracking his neck, and narrowed his eyes with a terrifying grin. "My turn."

The girl quickly shielded her eyes and turned away, cowering at their screams. One by one she could hear flesh tearing and sickly gurgles bubble from their throats. A warmth splashed against her leg, and she mustered every ounce of strength not to vomit on herself. A metallic scent invaded her nostrils, making her weak on her feet. She breathed deeply through her mouth, not wanting to smell their blood on her again. Petrified tears slipped past her lashes, falling softly to the ground below. She could hear him panting, undoubtedly the last one standing. His footsteps approached her softly. A sob escaped her lips, her body trembling.

"You can look now; they won't bother you anymore."

She shook her head, unable to speak.

"You know, I didn't think one girl could get into that kind of trouble. You really should be more careful." Silence hung between them before he sighed and scratched his cheek idly. "As custom dictates, since I saved your life...I guess..." He grumbled and coughed awkwardly. "I guess that means, I'm your guardian. For now."

The girl looked up at him over her shaking fingers. "W-What does that mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," he snapped, glaring at her. "It means it's my job to watch over you, and to protect you. All that stuff." He turned away from her confused gaze and made his way back to the tent's entrance. "Listen, go home. Starting tomorrow we'll be seeing a lot more of each other, so you might as well get some rest."

"W-Wait!" He stopped, staring at her expectantly. "Does this mean...does this mean you're not going to kill me?"

He blinked before grinning slightly. "For now." He pushed past the entrance and chuckled. "See you tomorrow, kid."

* * *

Well, what did you all think of the first chapter? I know it probably doesn't make a lot of sense, and I know quite a bit of information is missing (like names and things), but that will all be covered in the next chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it, and remember, reviews help me write faster. ;) See you all next time!


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